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Ebola? That should be the least of your worries. That hand you shook this morning at work most likely passed some pretty nasty germs your way.

They probably aren't going to kill you, but germs like salmonella, E. coli O157, and norovirus that cause diarrhea can be found on people, who say, didn't wash their hands after using the bathroom.

You know who you are. And I guarantee if I shared a men's room with you, I know who you are. You'll notice I don't shake your hand – ever. Nor do I eat out of the same bag of chips or pretzel barrel as you have.

If you have any tendencies toward being a hypochondriac, you may be freaking out a bit right now. I don't blame you.

If hand-washing were as common as it should be, this wouldn't be that big of a deal. But it's not. Now there's new research out suggesting a fist bump or even a high-five may be a better greeting to use than the traditional handshake because both are less germy ways of greeting others.

"A short, sweet fist bump will transmit the least bacteria," and even a high-five is better than a traditional handshake, David Whitworth, a senior lecturer in biochemistry at Aberystwyth University-Ceredigion in the United Kingdom, told USA Today. Whitworth and a colleague tested the three greetings for a study published last month in the American Journal of Infection Control.

They learned handshakes transmitted about 10 times more bacteria than fist bumps and about two times more than high-fives. The longest, firmest shakes – the kind our fathers or mothers taught us to give – transmitted the most bacteria.

OK, but I don't really see the fist bump or the high-five as a greeting of respect. They are more like celebratory actions you do with your buddies after you make a 20-foot putt or after Nick Foles hits LeSean McCoy out of the backfield for a 22-yard touchdown.

Perhaps we should switch from handshakes to a nod of the head or slight bow instead. Both seem more respectful and would help solve my pet peeve of possibly touching the hands of someone who did not wash their hands after using the bathroom.

Seriously.

That just creeps me out. There should be an alarm that goes off if someone tries to walk out of the bathroom without washing his or her hands.

Planning Editor / Columnist:
I've been with The News Journal this time around since 2001. I've been a sports copy editor, page designer, an editor working with reporters, a news editor and a combined digital and print editor. I've never sold ads. I don't have the personality of a good salesperson.